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Israel’s parliament has passed a law that prohibits the UN’s Palestinian refugee agency, UNRWA, from operating within Israel and occupied East Jerusalem, citing claims that the agency collaborates with Hamas in Gaza. The decision reflects growing tensions over the agency’s role and activities in the region.
Under new measures effective in three months, UNRWA staff will no longer be allowed to engage with Israeli officials, a restriction likely to disrupt the agency’s functions in Gaza and the Israeli-occupied West Bank. This ban on communication could challenge UNRWA’s efforts to provide aid and support in these territories.
To transfer aid into Gaza, UNRWA relies on cooperation with the Israeli military, which controls all entry points into the area. This coordination is vital for UNRWA, the main UN agency operating within Gaza, as it works to support local populations in need.
Countries such as the US and the UK have voiced strong concerns over Israel’s decision, with US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller calling on Israel to rethink the ban. Miller emphasized that UNRWA plays an “irreplaceable” role in delivering critical humanitarian aid to Gaza amid the region’s ongoing challenges.
UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer criticized the legislation, saying it could block UNRWA from performing its “essential work for Palestinians,” and in doing so, jeopardize the entire global humanitarian response in Gaza. Starmer’s statement reflects a broader international concern over the restrictions’ implications.
UN chief Antonio Guterres said the move would have “devastating consequences for Palestine refugees”.
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Almost all of the enclave’s population of more than two million people are dependent on aid and services from the agency.
But Israel has objected to Unrwa for decades, with its opposition intensifying in recent years.
Israel says Unrwa staff have colluded with Hamas in Gaza, and claimed 19 Unrwa workers took part in the Hamas attacks of 7 October 2023.
The UN investigated Israel’s claim and fired nine of those accused, but it said Israel had not provided evidence for broader allegations. Unrwa insists that dealings with Hamas are purely to enable the agency to do its job.
The accusations against Unrwa prompted many Western countries including the US and UK to withdraw their funding earlier this year, but most have since reinstated their support.
